Zeitwinkel 42,5mm Classic watches

The Zeitwinkel 42,5mm Classic gathers steel automatic watches from Zeitwinkel, an independent Swiss brand founded by three friends and based in Saint-Imier. Each watch is assembled by hand, and the brand makes about 100 watches a year. The models carry degree numbers instead of names, such as 032°, 082°, 181°, 273° and 312°.

Every Zeitwinkel watch runs on one of the brand's own automatic calibres, with plates and bridges in untreated German silver. The base movement, the ZW0102, has a bidirectional winding rotor, a 4 Hz balance and more than 72 hours of power reserve, and comes with central or small seconds and an optional date at 3 o'clock. The ZW0103 was developed for the 273°. It adds a power-reserve indicator between 1 and 2 o'clock and a patented large date at 11 o'clock, with small seconds at 6.

The 273° is the thicker watch: its ZW0103 stands 8.0 mm high against 5.7 mm for the ZW0102, and its case measures 13.8 mm thick against 11.7 mm for the 032°, 181° and 312°, all 42.5 mm across in steel. The 273° has a galvanic silver, blue or black dial, and Zeitwinkel also makes 273° Saphir Bleu and 273° Saphir Fumé versions. The steel 273° has a sapphire caseback and is water resistant to 50 m.

The 082° Rhodium is the smaller watch: a 39 mm steel case, 11.6 mm thick, with a silver dial. Zeitwinkel also makes the 082° Email Grand Feu, with a grand feu enamel dial.